The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-07

Only twenty
laws, leaving thirty zine which were passed by
that body but not referred to the House, and 272
that die with the session. great part of the
latter number were indefinitely postponed on the
reports of the committees, many reached en-
grossment and few failed for the want Of the
constitutional majority to pass them. OF the
476 bills introduced in the House sixteen became
laws, while fifty were passed and did not go to
the Senate, thus leaving 400 to fail either by in
definite postponement, pending engrossment,
or special order, among the latter being the
appropriation and loan bills. Many more were
left in the hands of committees without any
report having been made on them. The same is
true of large number of bills on the Senate
calendar.
Report on the Howard Claims.
The report Of the special House committee
concerning the claim of W. B. Howard for losses
sustained by him through the Statehouse con-
tract was submitted OH Saturday. It's concu-
sions that Mr.. Howard has paid out, by
reason of his connection with the construction
Of the State house, the sum of 81 Ops 075 43, and
of this the State has paid him only $697, AGA 81.
leaving the sum of 1923, CLIO. 90 as the mon ev ad-
vanced by him over and above the sum received.
This sum should be reduced by the retained per-
cenrage due Mr.. Howard, and the present value
OF property and plant made use of in the course
of the work, amounting now to the sum of
SIT, 1855. rs. The net losses of MIR. Howard are,
therefore, shown to be $25l 525 19. These losses
were the result of several causes, mainly
marked increase il the price OF labor and mate
rial. beginning with the season following tho
letting of the contract an unusual severity on
the part Of the board of commissioners and
their architect in the construction of the speci
fcations and contract, and the direction of the
work done Hereunder, the difference Of opinion
respecting the sum to be paid when changes
were ordered, and the lowness of tho estimates
made as the work progressed. The committee
states that when the contract was dated, Aug.
| 30. 1873, labor and material were lower than
nav had hnnn for ryna hut yyth thn IF
1879 began marked increase in the price of
| both, the average being 25 per cent or more.
In many cases when doubts arose concerning
| the kind and quality Of workmanship the commits
! sioners whose decisions were final ruled so as
| to entail an extra expenditure of many thousand
| dollars on the part Of the contractors, such ex
| penditures not being sanctioned by custom Or
| usage in the construction Of public buildings of
| like magnitude. The losses were not caused by
the neglect. mismanagement or other fault of
/ Mr. Howard. The commissioners exercised the
right of making needed changes aud fixing the
price that should be paid for the additional labor
| and material therefor and in some instances the
contractors were not allowed even the cost of the
| same In addition to this the commissioners
| withheld from Mr.. Howard in climates over
$780, 900, which, with the material and plant left.
| materially aided the bondsmen to complete the
| building 1t is also the opinion of the commit
| tee that had it not been for Mr.. Towards
| connection with the contract and the
| money be advanced it would have been impos-
! sbe to complete the building with the S., 900,
| 900. 1t was the belief of General Morris, one OF
| the commissioners, that, had it not been for Mr..
| Howard, reletting of the contract must have
| occurred and in that case the prices would
have been doubt 20 per cent higher. The
committee highly praises the work in the build
| ing, and submite extracts from the testimony of
Samuel Hannaford of Cincinnati, and John G.
Cochrane, of Chicago, two of the eminent and
most conservative architects in the country.
Mr.. Hannaford considers the work exception
| ally good and its cost a marvel of cheapness,
There is no architect in the country" said he,
''but would say, after a thorough examination
of the building, that it is worth 33 per cent
| more than the State paid for it." On account OF
the near approach OF the close of the session. the
| committee makes recommendation, nor sub
mts bill, because sufficient consideration can
not be given to Mr.. Towards claim as to the
L. lo Ill